Evil Does Not Exist
A quiet Japanese village drama turns a proposed nature retreat into an unsettling meditation on community, ecology, and competing ideas of belonging.
Overview
A poignant exploration of nature's impact on human relationships unfolds in a quiet village.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Glacial
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- quietist
- contemplative
- wistful
- quiet evening
- reflective weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Hamaguchi's assured visual artistry, intimate observation, and ecological themes while finding the film enigmatic and occasionally opaque.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Takumi and the Mizubiki villagers oppose a commercial camping project that threatens their homes and water supply.
Opening scenes emphasize chopping firewood, carrying water, and moving through the winter landscape with unhurried attention.
The conflict between villagers, planners, and developers resists a simple division between innocence and villainy.
The proposed glamping site embodies urban commercial fantasies imposed on a functioning rural community.
Films like Evil Does Not Exist, and why
Drive My Car
quiet rural drama, ecological conflict, and deliberate pacing
After Life
meditative Japanese social drama with understated performances and emotional ambiguity
First Cow
slow-burn environmental tension, community conflict, and enigmatic atmosphere
The Rider
contemplative rural setting, human interdependence, and understated social critique
Movie Details
- Director
- Ryusuke Hamaguchi
- Release Date
- 2023-12-06
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (323)
Cast
- Hitoshi Omika
- Ryo Nishikawa
- Ryuji Kosaka
- Ayaka Shibutani
- Hazuki Kikuchi
- Hiroyuki Miura
- Yoshinori Miyata
- Yûto Torii
- Takako Yamamura
- Takuma Nagao
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Evil Does Not Exist about?
- A quiet Japanese village drama turns a proposed nature retreat into an unsettling meditation on community, ecology, and competing ideas of belonging.
- What is Evil Does Not Exist like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Evil Does Not Exist as glacial, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Evil Does Not Exist violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Evil Does Not Exist as mild.
- What did critics think of Evil Does Not Exist?
- Critics broadly praised Hamaguchi's assured visual artistry, intimate observation, and ecological themes while finding the film enigmatic and occasionally opaque.
- Which films are like Evil Does Not Exist?
- Films with a similar feel include Drive My Car, After Life, First Cow, and The Rider.
- How long is Evil Does Not Exist?
- Evil Does Not Exist runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch Evil Does Not Exist?
- In United States, Evil Does Not Exist is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
